Bettman will discuss idea with the NHL Players' Association before it's implemented

The Blackhawks' fears about having their rivalry with the Red Wings ruined went unfounded as the Original Six teams are grouped together in one of four new conferences in a radical realignment plan that was approved by the NHL's Board of Governors on Monday in Pebble Beach, Calif.

Two of the yet-to-be-named conferences will have eight teams and two will have seven. Teams will play five or six intra-conference games and home-and-home series with nonconference teams

The Hawks and Red Wings are in Conference B with the Blue Jackets, Stars, Wild, Predators, Blues and Jets. Conference A will include the Ducks, Flames, Avalanche, Oilers, Kings, Coyotes, Sharks and Canucks.

Conference C will have the Bruins, Sabres, Panthers, Canadiens, Senators, Lightning and Maple Leafs, while Conference D will have the Hurricanes, Devils, Islanders, Rangers, Flyers, Penguins and Capitals.

The top four teams in each conference will qualify for the playoffs with the first-place team playing the fourth-place team and the second-place team playing the third-place finisher. The conference champions would then play for the right to advance to the Stanley Cup finals.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said he would discuss the plan with the NHL Players' Association before it's implemented.

Protection: Just about the last thing the Hawks wanted to see was captain Jonathan Toews with his gloves dropped trying to exchange punches against a bigger, more physical opponent.

A more welcome sight was teammate Daniel Carcillo jumping into the fray to assist Toews during a skirmish with the Blues' David Backes on Saturday night in St. Louis. Carcillo was particularly unhappy with Backes as the Blues captain has fought with Toews before.

"If you look at the guys that (Backes) fought in this league, he's a big guy and he's tough but he hasn't really answered the bell with any really tough guys," Carcillo said. "He goes after guys like (the Ducks' Corey) Perry and he tries to fight Jonathan Toews. You just can't let that happen."

He said it: Patrick Kane, who had a camera crew following his every move Sunday and Monday for an upcoming documentary feature for Versus: "It's different. You know how the reality TV stars feel every day of their lives."